Get A Good Night's Sleep

How to sleep better? That's an age-old question that most of us ponder at some point. Various factors come into play, and today I'm focusing on the best mattresses, pillows, and body positions for a good night's sleep.

Read on to get more tips on how to choose a mattress and how to prolong the life of it, sleep-inducing food and drink to help you wake up refreshed, and what to avoid versus what to do before bedtime to aid your restful slumber.

M A T T R E S S

Your mattress plays a key role in how well you sleep.Got questions? Find the answer here!

How Often Should I Change My Mattress? The Sleep Council recommends replacing your mattress every seven years. When you realise it will have experienced 20,000 hours of wear and tear during that period, so you can see why it's time to upgrade!

What Size Should I Get? It's recommended you buy the largest bed that will comfortably fit the space, and spend as much as you can afford. As a guideline, your bed should be 10cm longer than the tallest person using it, so that means at least a king size for those who are 6ft.

What Firmness Would Suit Me Best? Generally speaking, if you sleep on your side, you'll benefit from a softer medium mattress. This allows the spine to rest in its most natural position. If you sleep on your back, you'll want a medium-firm mattress to support the lower back. If you sleep on your front, you'll need a firm mattress so that your body doesn't sink into the mattress, as this can cause lower back pain.Mattress Types | Learn more about pocket springs, memory foam and hybrid mattresses, to choose the most suitable one for you needs.

Pocket Spring: If you sweat a lot at night, pocket sprung mattresses are a good choice because they tend to be breathable. Sealy Teramo 1400 Mattress (£650 for a single, £750 for a double, £850 for king, and £950 for super king) from Next has 1,400 zoned pocket springs and a latex layer with a pillow-top. It is also easy to turn.

Memory Foam: Memory foam mattresses mould around your body, keeping you warm and supported. Dormeo Memory Plus Mattress (£529.99 for a single, £499.99 for small double, £750 for double, £779.99 for king, and £899.99 for super king) has 50% more memory foam than the Classic style, and has a sanitized protective layer. It offers a 60-night trial.

If you find traditional memory foam is too clammy for you, Casper £350 for a single, £550 for a double, £600 for a king size, and £700 for super king) has a breathable top layer over its memory foam. It arrives in a box, and offers a 100-night trial.

If you don't like the sinking feeling you get from typical memory foam, then you'll prefer the high point elasticity of The Memory Foam Mattress by Eve (£399 for a single, £549 for a small double, £599 for a double, £679 for a king size, and £799 for super king). Underneath the top memory foam layer there's a breathable cooling layer and then a high density base layer. It comes with a 100-night trial too.

Hybrid: If you want memory foam and pocket springs, you get just that with Simba. This a hybrid mattress combines 2,500 conical pocket springs with Visco memory foam. The Simbatex layer helps the mattress stay cool. It also comes with a 100-night sleep trial promise, and you can try it out in John Lewis (£399 for a single, £599 for a small double or double, £699 for a king size, and £799 for super king).Mattress Tips | There are four steps you can take to prolong the life of your mattress.

Step 1: Test It | You're far more likely to be happy with your mattress long-term if you actually try it out in person before buying. You need to test the firmness and feel to find out if it's for you. If you're buying online, some allow you to trial at home, like Simba.

Step 2: Cover It | A mattress cover can help prevent stains ruining your mattress. This is particularly important if you have young children who like to climb into bed with you. Options like the Silentnight Waterproof Mattress Protector (£7.99 for single, £11.99 for double, and £14.99 for king) from Argos, will help reduce the impact of an accident.

Step 3: Clean It | Did you know we lose half a pint of fluid every night, and also shed a pound of dead skin cells a year? Pretty gross, right? Cleaning your mattress with your vaccuum's special attachment for cleaning upholstery can help keep it fresher for longer. It's also recommended that you wash your bedding at least once a week.

Step 4: Turn It | It's generally recommended to turn your mattress every three months. The manufacturer might advise you flip it over, or rotate it by 180 degrees, or alternate each one. There are also mattresses that don't require turning.S L E E P I N G P O S I T I O N

Do you wake up with a bad back, nasty neck, hurting hips, or sore shoulders? The way you lie on your bed can help you ease chronic pain.

Lower Back Pain: Sleep on your back with a pillow underneath your knees to minimize the back arching. Avoid sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees, and on your front.

Neck Pain: Sleep on your back or side with a feather pillow or rolled up towel to support the curve of your neck. Avoid sleeping on your stomach.

Hip Pain: Sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees. Avoid sleeping on your stomach or your back.

Shoulder Pain: Sleep on your side or your back with your shoulders supported by your pillow. Avoid side sleeping without pillow support.

P I L L O W S

It's not just your body position on the bed that's important; it's also your head and neck on your pillow. The recommendation is that you replace your pillow every two to three years.

Cool: If you love the feel of a cool pillow against your cheek, go with wool, as it regulates temperature very well, like the Fogarty Wool Medium-Support Pillow (£28) from Dunelm.

Supportive: If you need neck support, the unusual shape of the Tempur Original Queen Pillow (£85) from Feather & Black gives you that in bucketloads. The pressure relieving material helps the neck and shoulder muscles to relax, and maintains spine posture.

Undecided: If you're not sure what level of support you need, the Studio by Silentnight Pillow (£46.62) from Amazon.co.uk is a clever option. The three layers of filling create seven potential combinations, so you can use trial and error by removing layers.E X T R A T I P S

In addition to choosing the right mattress and sleeping in the best position for your needs, there are a couple of other things you can do to improve your chances of a good night's sleep.

Relaxation | Avoiding screens for at least an hour before bed can be beneficial if you find it hard to drift off. You could read a book instead, or try relaxation techniques like meditation and mindfulness. If you'd like a little guidance, check out the best apps for sleep.Food & Drink | A glass of warm milk at bedtime is not just an old wives' tale, there's science behind it too! It contains the amino acid tryptophan, which helps produce serotonin and melatonin in the brain. These aid sleep. Other foods that this amino acid include bananas, eggs, oats, peanuts, poultry, tuna, and yogurt.

Milk also contains calcium, as do other dairy products like yogurt, and this vitamin works together with magnesium to relax muscles. You'll find magnesium in bananas and nuts. So for a tryptophan and calcium/magnesium combo, eat a banana and drink milk! Learn even more about what to eat and drink for better sleep.

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About Eleanor Cains

I love exploring new places and searching vintage fashion rails. My ideal rainy Sunday would involve reading, baking and being crafty with buttons. My most wanted list includes round the world plane tickets, a Mulberry Bayswater and a lie-in.